What’s Going On in Haiti? Information, Support & More
Haiti is experiencing a surge of gang violence, with international aid organisations forced to suspend healthcare and social work. Find details below on how you can help.
TW: armed violence, colonisation, oppression.
Following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, Haitians have been subjected to violent disputes between armed gangs vying for territorial control. In November 2024, the UN warned that almost 4 million Haitians in the capital, Port-au-Prince, are “practically being held hostage by gangs.”
Haiti’s long-standing political crisis has been exacerbated by natural disasters, including the devastating 2010 earthquake; however, colonial injustice is at the crux of the country’s ongoing instability.
Following brutal oppression under French colonial rule, Haiti became the first country to lead a successful slave revolt and gain independence in 1804. In retaliation, the French forced Haiti to pay a hefty indemnity fee, devastating the country’s fledgling economy. Lacking financial support and subject to exploitation by wealthier nations, Haiti was impoverished and unable to achieve economic security or address systemic inequalities.
In the throes of the ongoing political crisis, French President Emmanuel Macron has shirked off France’s responsibility, stating, “It was the Haitians who killed Haiti,” ahead of the G20 2024 meeting in Brazil. He also called Haiti’s transitional governments “morons,” provoking outrage among Haitians.
In recent years, Haiti had been hoping to welcome tourists and reshape the narrative on visiting the island, but, tragically, any tourism initiatives have been held back by the ongoing violence, and it is not recommended to travel there at the current time. The situation in Haiti is critical, with the country urgently relying on aid to care for citizens caught in the crossfire, treat medical conditions, and provide essential resources such as food, education and basic supplies.
We’ll continue to update this list as we learn more. If you have any resources or information you’d like to share, please email them to hello@trippin.world.
Donate & Take Action
Below is a list of Haitian-based initiatives
Centre Hospitalier de Fontaine Foundation
Since the withdrawal of Doctors Without Borders (Médecins sans frontières), the Centre Hospitalier de Fontaine Foundation has supported the Fontaine Hospital Centre, one of the only operational hospitals in Cité Soleil, an area ravaged by violence in Port-au-Prince.
“The main help we need is monetary, to allow us to formally set up a response centre for victims of sexual violence from camps for internationally displaced people and sponsor their medical and psychological care,” said Kareen Ulysse, the founder and executive director of the foundation, speaking to Trippin.
The organisation also provides mobile health clinics in the camps and educational tools for children unable to attend school.
Lakou Lapè is an indigenous peace-building community established in 2012 to foster non-violent conflict resolution across various sectors of Haitian society. It supports grassroots initiatives and adheres to strict principles of non-violence and inclusivity. By leveraging technology for education and economic growth, Lakou Lapè seeks to address conflicts that hinder investment and development through relationship rebuilding, trust-building exercises, and collaborative action.
Gwoup Konbit is a Haitian social movement based on the values of Konbit — which is a traditional form of collective labour and mutual aid. Gwoup Konbit supports projects guided by these values across Haiti
GreenGym works to provide fitness equipment in sites across Haiti, free of use. The organisation views sport and physician activity as a powerful driver for equality, social inclusion, civic engagement and well-being.
Founded in 2006, J'Aime Haiti Foundation works for a more inclusive society by supporting families, children, and disadvantaged individuals, especially those with disabilities. It works to combat discrimination and promote equal opportunities throughout the country.
The Creative Community
Michaël Brun is a Haitian DJ based in New York. While his music pays tribute to Haitian rhythms, especially the jazzy sounds of Konpa. Brun regularly posts about Haitian culture, and recently teamed up with John Legend and Haitian singer Rutshelle Guillaume for the song “Safe”. Read his guide to Haiti’s best natural spots on Trippin, here.
Melissa Béralus is a journalist who posts on social media to dispel colonial narratives around Haiti while providing updates on the current situation in the country with a feminist perspective.
Pierre Michel, who is based in Port-au-Prince, takes pictures of everyday life in Haiti. His work focuses on culture and politics, and his posts contain musings and reflections about Haiti’s political struggles, as well as addressing exterior misconceptions towards the island. He is the founding member of the artist collective Kolektif 2 Dimansyon.
Know Your Caribbean is a platform that deconstructs colonial narratives on the Caribbean and focuses on the strength, beauty and resilience of the Caribbean people. Alongside educative posts on all Caribbean nations, it also regularly shares factual information on Haiti.
Learn More About Haiti
Book: Silencing the Past by Michel Rolph-Trouillot
Rolph-Trouillot, a Haitian anthropologist, highlights the historical significance of the Haitian Revolution and examines how Western powers, determined to undermine Haiti’s success, rallied against the newly independent nation, impeding its progress.
Documentary: Exterminate All The Brutes Docuseries (HBO)
This 2021 mini-documentary series by Haitian-born, Oscar-nominated director Raoul Peck, who formerly served as Haiti’s minister of culture, makes a world-spanning series that digs “ deep into the exploitative and genocidal aspects of European colonialism”. The series is based on works by scholars, including Rolph-Trouillot’s book, and won a Peabody for its “unflinching look at the history of racial extermination”.
Book: Fault Lines by Beverly Bell (Cornell University Press)
Beverly Bell is an activist and award-winning writer, who covered Haiti’s recovery efforts the 2010 earthquake that killed over 250,000 people and displaced two million. Fault Lines not only covers the aftermath of the disaster but also traces the historical factors that warranted such destruction. She also highlights Haiti’s resilient communities and how selflessness and community aided survival amid immense suffering.
Book: Nan Domi: An Initiate’s Journey Into Haitian Vodou by Mimerose Beaubrun
Haitian anthropologist and performer, Mimerose’s book details the spiritual side of Vodou–beyond rites and cosmology–and focuses on an inner journey. Vodou is an ancient religion still practiced in Haiti today, shaping the island's culture.
